[LVL 87 MSQ SPOILERS] I’m so confused about that cutscene

[jetteaime]

After we leave that level 87 zone, we see a vision of what happened during the Amaurot final days. But it’s so inconsistent with what we were told. Emet told us in 5.0 that the sundering happened when Hydaelyn battles Zodiark AFTER the second offering of souls. The first offering was to stop the final days, the second was to restore the world to a habitable state. But this cutscene shows that the sundering happened in between the first and second offering… so what’s the deal?? Furthermore, if Zodiark was already summoned at this time, why does this cutscene show someone summoning a blasphemy? It was a badass cutscene but the impact was lost on me because I was so confused at the inconsistency.

And if the answer is that it was just “symbolic” that would be the biggest let-down of the entire ffxiv storyline IMO.

Also, on a lesser note, we are shown a recording of Venat speaking with a friend after akademia anyder. The friend is sad because Venat had decided to become the heart of Hydaelyn. But in the aforementioned cutscene in 6.0, Venat is just out walking around. I assume that she is an avatar of Hydaelyn due to her glowing eyes, but that anyder cutscene now makes little sense. Venat is still herself, she can still walk around and interact with people.

On an even lesser note, why are the ancients depicted as mysterious creepy looking tall grey people up until the level 87 zone? At that point they all start looking like regular tall humans that also start speaking the modern tongue. So… what’s the deal?

[MilkieTea]

On an even lesser note, why are the ancients depicted as mysterious creepy looking tall grey people up until the level 87 zone? At that point they all start looking like regular tall humans that also start speaking the modern tongue. So… what’s the deal?

I can answer the last question easily, but the other two are kind of... well... hard to explain, so I'll let the loreheads have at it

On Elpis specifically, everyone is told to take off their hoods because the creatures they are creating on Elpis are considered possibly dangerous, and they'd need to see clearly. This is explained during the quest dialogue with Hades and Hythlodaeus, when you're tasked with helping to find Hermes and told that he has "short, black hair".

Everyone looks normal under their hoods, but because showcasing individuality is frowned upon, their hoods are only removed when necessary to be able to see possible dangers.

[KageTokage]

After we leave that level 87 zone, we see a vision of what happened during the Amaurot final days. But it’s so inconsistent with what we were told. Emet told us in 5.0 that the sundering happened when Hydaelyn battles Zodiark AFTER the second offering of souls. The first offering was to stop the final days, the second was to restore the world to a habitable state. But this cutscene shows that the sundering happened in between the first and second offering… so what’s the deal?? Furthermore, if Zodiark was already summoned at this time, why does this cutscene show someone summoning a blasphemy? It was a badass cutscene but the impact was lost on me because I was so confused at the inconsistency.

And if the answer is that it was just “symbolic” that would be the biggest let-down of the entire ffxiv storyline IMO.

Yes, it is just symbolic, simultaneously showing Venat's opinion both of Zodiark's initial summoning as well as the subsequent sacrifices but I'm not sure how that makes it a letdown.

[QT_Melon]

Well my thoughts on it (edit coming)

Agree that was the most visually jarring experience between what we saw in Shadowbringers regarding Anamnesis Anyder and her determination. While I figure it was for emotional effect and resolve...I agree it makes it NOT look like it matches events in Shadowbringers (and this is not a part that has to do with Emet's retelling since Anyder was independent). However, I believe they will address this in the 24 man raid since it is Myths of the Twelve.

I also wanted to actually SEE the new life they were talking about. The second sacrifice I mean the whole thing lost impact for me because they were doing so much Hydaelyn is a grown independent primal that don't need no Ascian...that there should have been scenes SHOWING her regard for life - ESPECIALLY the new ones that THEN puts her resolve into the sundering. Also it was mentioned the newer lives were more feeble and to me that's an indicator they're also more susceptible to dynamis

It would have been THAT confirmation, instead of just "hey met this Adventurer who claims to be from the future" that she sees a possible path to salvation and confirms more about our version of events.

In fact one of the parts, I really liked regarding the voice acting with Emet in ShB was that you can FEEL the hurt and betrayal in his voice when Hydaelyn was summoned. Which to me sounds like there was genuine disagreement with Venat. I would like to think they DID have a conversation and may have inadvertently made it so that they used tempering to help with resolve. But again that's me speculating.

I just feel that it was a bit of a miss-step to not show more of her regard for life. I mean yeah doggo and bunnies are cute and all...but I really would have liked to seen the new life that divided everyone - especially since they were so philosophical about the returning to the star.

[jetteaime]

I can answer the last question easily, but the other two are kind of... well... hard to explain, so I'll let the loreheads have at it

On Elpis specifically, everyone is told to take off their hoods because the creatures they are creating on Elpis are considered possibly dangerous, and they'd need to see clearly. This is explained during the quest dialogue with Hades and Hythlodaeus, when you're tasked with helping to find Hermes and told that he has "short, black hair".

Everyone looks normal under their hoods, but because showcasing individuality is frowned upon, their hoods are only removed when necessary to be able to see possible dangers.

That makes sense I suppose. The fact that they start speaking the normal language is still a bit weird but I don’t really mind as I like the voice acting talent, and it can easily be explained by echo shenanigans.

Yes, it is just symbolic, simultaneously showing Venat's opinion both of Zodiark's initial summoning as well as the subsequent sacrifices but I'm not sure how that makes it a letdown.

It would be disappointing, in my opinion, that such a major event is represented symbolically. I’m rambling now but I guess the more I think about it, it’s not so bad since we already got a clear run-down of what happened by Emet-Selch, so showing what literally happened could have been redundant. But my monkey brain incapable of abstract thought was very confused during this cutscene.

[Floortank]

The vision you saw is a retcon of what Emet-Selch described. Based on what you told Venat, Hydaelyn decides to take action earlier, and for a different reason than stated in Shadowbringers.

[QT_Melon]

The vision you saw is a retcon of what Emet-Selch described. Based on what you told Venat, Hydaelyn decides to take action earlier, and for a different reason than stated in Shadowbringers.

Uh no it's not - because not all the events we saw was told by Emet.

Also the biggest let down in the story was no Emet Selch sassy hand wave.

[JeanneOrnitier]

The vision you saw is a retcon of what Emet-Selch described. Based on what you told Venat, Hydaelyn decides to take action earlier, and for a different reason than stated in Shadowbringers.

Emet only told us what he thought was the reason Venat chose to summon Hydaelyn and split the world. Hydaelyn never told us herself why she did it. They even bring this up in Endwalker, that we only know Emet's opinion and not the first-hand account, though I forget where exactly. It might have been in Mare Lamentorum.

[Arzalis]

The whole thing is a montage. She wasn't literally calming walking down the street while things were killing and eating people.

I do agree it's doesn't show the passage of time very well in the initial parts, though.

[Illmaeran]

The whole thing is a montage. She wasn't literally calming walking down the street while things were killing and eating people.

I do agree it's doesn't show the passage of time very well in the initial parts, though.

I have a different take on it. While I agree the initial scene being something of a montage, it seemed more to me to be using her calmness as a foil for the chaos going on in order to emphasize the horror of the event. It could also underscore her fore-knowledge of the event, its inevitability, and the necessity of it to protect the future.

The parting of Emet-Selch and Hythlodaeus seems to me to symbolize the gathering of people to summon Zodiark. The looks on their faces were those of friends taking action, knowing they would never see each other again. Not being an uber-lorehound I don't know if the world continued burning for a time after Zodiark was summoned or if it stopped immediately. My understanding of the situation was they summoned Zodiark, who then stabilized the world, and the second sacrifice was done to return the world to its original state, which Venat/Hydaelyn interrupted.

The scene of her walking, to me, portrays the passage of time and her waiting for the WoL to be born while experiencing the various Joinings. After spending so much time getting us used to seeing Venat, using that form was more impactful to me than simply seeing a big crystal floating through empty space. I had associated Venat's form with Hydaelyn's "residual self image" to use Matrix terminology so having a face and body to express continued pain and effort was relatable.